WWE Smackdown Live Match Ratings 12/11/18, Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp Of Fightful.com

FICKLE

• Daniel Bryan doesn’t want to compare the fans to sheep, because sheep are way better than people. He reiterates that the Yes Movement and the old Daniel Bryan are dead. 
• This opening promo is an excruciating nine minutes. He’s finally interrupted by Mustafa Ali.
• Daniel Bryan cuts off Mustafa Ali and Bryan says he knows who Mustafa is and they don’t need to have this match. He puts the blame on fans for being xenophobic assholes.
• Mustafa Ali says the Daniel Bryan that motivated him wouldn’t be acting like this, he’d want to fight. Ali wants to fight.
• Daniel Bryan asks why Mustafa Ali drives an SUV because he’s little. He calls Mustafa ignorant and slaps him. The fight is on. 
• Ali flips off the top rope onto Bryan. 

Daniel Bryan defeated Mustafa Ali
6.75/10

• Bryan methodically works over Ali in the ring with stomps, but Ali is able to come back and knock Bryan out of the ring.
• Ali’s burst of offense doesn’t last long at all, as he gets posted.
• During the commercial, Bryan lands a half hatch suplex, but is caught on the top rope and Ali scores a big Spanish Fly for a two count.
• Daniel Bryan applies a Yes Lock during the commercial, and we come back in the middle of it. I don’t know if I remember that ever happening before. Ali gets to the ropes. 
• Ali is able to roll out of a belly-to-back superplex, and avoid a corner dropkick. Daniel Bryan is going out of his way to make Ali look strong.
• Ali misses the 054 and has his leg worked over. He’s forced to tap out to the heel hook.
• Daniel Bryan catches up with Mustafa Ali on the ramp and stomps him out. 

Rap Battle

• New Day are out there dressed like they raided Virgil’s 1989 wardrobe.
• The Bar are wearing Adidas jump suit.
• Sheamus and Cesaro do a really bad cover of Ice Ice Baby.
• The Usos is more of a promo that rhymes than a rap battle, but it’s way better than The Bar’s.
• They talk about how stupid Sheamus looks, messing up Cesaro’s teeth and a lot more.
• The Bar get angry and attack. They’re fought off briefly, but that doesn’t last long.

Shane McMahon & The Miz defeated The Vegas Boys
3.75/10 (short)

• Miz is out and says that this is Shane McMahon’s week to hold the World Cup.
• Shane comes out and Miz wants to prove to Shane that they can be great tag team partners. He brings a ref out.
• Chip n’ Chad. The Vegas Boys are teaming up against Miz and Shane.
• They attack Shane, who fires back with a spinning elbow, flying back elbow, and one of the worst goddamn floatover DDTs of ALL-TIME.
• Paige isn’t happy about this, and rips up the $5000 invoices Miz promised the Vegas Boys. She threatens to fire the ref who handled the match.
• Shane McMahon is angry and finds the Miz. Miz says despite his accolades, he was never considered “Best in the World” until Shane came along. Shane won’t shake his hand.

RKzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….

• Randy Orton comes out and cuts a pretty lame promo about what a chairs match is and how to use them.
• Rey Mysterio attacks him. Everyone sees it coming besides Orton, apparently.

Rusev & Jeff Hardy (w/ Lana) defeated Shinsuke Nakamura & Samoa Joe
5.25/10

• R-Truth and Carmella interrupt the beginning of the match to do a dance break.
• Joe slams Jeff Hardy into the barricade. He beats down Hardy all throughout the break.
• Nakamura gets a running knee in the corner and tags back out. After a hold from Joe, Hardy hits Whisper in the Wind.
• Rusev gets the hot tag and puts a clubberin on Nakamura. It culminates with his spinning heel kick. 
• Rusev isn’t able to apply the Accolade, but avoids a Nakamura knee to hit his Machka kick for the win.

Backstage Crappenings

• AJ Styles says this isn’t the new Daniel Bryan, it’s the real Daniel Bryan.

Asuka defeated Charlotte Flair via DQ
6.75/10

• Asuka says she was wrong that nobody was ready for Asuka, but she’s going to correct that mistake.
• Becky Lynch reminds Kayla Braxton that her first match back will be at TLC where the has to test her face. She actually wrestled last week, but not on TV yet.
• Charlotte says she doesn’t get broken, she breaks streaks.
• Asuka dives for an ankle lock early, but gets dropped on her head by Charlotte.
• Asuka returns the favor with a nasty German suplex.
• For some reason, Asuka sits in the ropes on a missed Rear View so she can get kicked.
• Charlotte Flair goes for a moonsault, but gets kicked up into an Asuka Lock. A really smooth reversal.
• Asuka grabs an Octopus armbar as we come back from a break, but Charlotte slams her way out of it. 
• Charlotte applies the Figure Four and slaps Asuka. Charlotte really goes to work on the leg. 
• Asuka almost gets the win with a small package. She gets a two count countering a spear with a Codebreaker.
• Asuka throws kicks Toshiaka Kawada style kicks. Her facial expressions here are great. 
• Charlotte hits a spear for a 2 count. Moonsault into a Figure Four attempt, but Asuka rolls into an Asuka Lock. 
• Both women tumble to the outside. Charlotte Flair attacks Asuka with a Kendo stick and gets DQ’d.
• Charlotte goes after Becky Lynch, but Becky gets the kendo stick and beats down Charlotte.
• Asuka has her turn, and takes out Becky and Charlotte with an awesome cane ass kicking. 

Ratings guide

10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5.The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.